Roots Before Branches
by ScorpioGirl1987
Summary: Oneshot songfic. This is how I think the Roots Before Branches scene should have gone. Canon pairings. Takes place during the finale, so there are spoilers. Third genre hurt/comfort, fourth genre romance.


**Okay, who else was disappointed in the finale? Yep, me too. While I love Rachel's version of Roots Before Branches...it would have been a GREAT opportunity for a musical monologue with flashes of the graduating seniors taking the next step in their lives. Kind of like the end scene of season one of The OC (Yeah, I know- they weren't seniors YET, but still...) and various CW dramas. **

**Oh well. That's what fanfiction is for! Lol Anyway, I do not own Glee or Roots Before Branches. They belong to Fox and Room For Two respectively. **

_**So many things to do and say  
But I can't seem to find my way  
But I wanna know how**_

Finn climbed out of his car, pulled Rachel's suitcase from the trunk, closed it, then walked over to open the door for her.

_'Well, you got what you wanted: more focus on your career rather than love.'_ Rachel thought to herself as she let Finn take her hand and lead her to her train. '_But why can't I have both? Why can't _both_ my fiancee (ex-fiancee...)_ and _best friend be in New York with me? Talk about "you win some, you lose some".'_

_**I know I'm meant for something else  
But first I gotta find myself  
But I don't know how**_

Finn took a deep breath as he walked through the recruiter's office for the army. He handed his application to a stern looking man who looked it over briefly, and nodded, showing his approval. Finn smiled in relief._****_

Oh, why do I reach for the stars  
When I don't have wings  
To carry me that far?

Finn and Rachel walked onto the platform. Rachel smiled as she saw all of her friends from glee plus Will and Emma smiling and waving. Mercedes was the first to approach her and pulled her into a tight hug. Rachel walked on and smiled at her friends who smiled back encouragingly. _****_

I gotta have roots before branches  
To know who I am  
Before I know who I wanna be

Rachel and Blaine squeezed each others' arms lightly and smiled at each other. She was slightly surprised to see Kurt there smiling, really smiling, and showing his support considering everything that's happened. Kurt pulled his friend into a warm, genuine hug. Rachel pulled away and hugged Will tightly silently thanking him for everything. She then turned to Finn and gave him one last kiss good-bye. They held hands, then slowly let go as Rachel boarded the train.

_**And faith  
To take chances  
To live like I see  
A place in this world for me**_

Santana sat at her computer looking up acting, singing, and modeling jobs in New York. She supposed she could just go to college, but...she really wanted to be famous, and she couldn't wait. She smiled lightly as she read a few website pages. _****_

Sometimes I don't wanna feel  
(Sometimes  
I don't wanna feel)  
And forget the pain is real  
(And forget the pain  
Is real)  
Put my head in the clouds

Rachel walked slowly to her seat. She felt slightly happier now that Kurt silently assured her their friendship is still intact. _****_

Oh, start to run  
And then I fall  
(start to run  
And then I fall)  
(Seein')  
I can't get it all  
Without my feet  
On the ground  
(Seein'I can't get it all  
Without my feet  
On the ground)

Rachel sat down and waved out the window to her friends who waved back. She shared a longing look with Finn, who followed the train until it disappeared._ 'I entered high school alone. I could definitely face college alone...right?'****_

There's always a seed  
Before there's a rose  
The more that it rains  
The more I will grow

_'How could Rachel get in, but I didn't?' _Kurt thought as he sobbed uncontrollably into Blaine's shoulder. They were both on the couch at the Hudson-Hummel home. Blaine had his arms wrapped around his boyfriend's torso rubbing his back comfortingly and whispering soothing words in his ear. An empty cheesecake box from Breadstix sat on the coffee table._****_

I gotta have  
Roots before branches  
To know who I am  
Before I know  
Who I wanna be

Puck smiled in satisfaction as he finished up his first online ad for his pool cleaning business in LA. His eyes wandered to a photo of Quinn and he smiled at it, fondly.

_**And faith  
To take chances  
To live like I see  
A place in this world  
For me**_

Quinn smiled and packed her stuff in boxes for Yale. As she picked up a notebook, a picture fell out of her and Puck smiling. Smiling herself, Quinn sat on her bed and stared at the picture fondly._****_

Whatever comes  
I know how to take it  
Learn to be strong  
I won't have to fake it

Mercedes walked though a record studio in LA. There were other backup singers chatting and laughing together. Her phone beeped with a text message from Sam reading "I miss you." Mercedes smiled.

_**Oh, you're understandin'  
Oh, but when you come  
And do it best  
There ain't nothin'  
To stoppin' east to west  
But I'll still  
Be standing  
I'll be standing**_

Mike and Tina drove through Ohio on the way to Joffery in Chicago to check out dorms and apartments. Tina leaned her head on Mike's shoulder, wrapped her arms around his torso and smiled. She was happy for her boyfriend. Chicago and Lima are only four hours apart. They could visit more often than not._****_

I gotta have  
Roots before branches  
To know who I am (To know who I am)

Brittany opened a book, sighed, and started reading. Santana had her arms wrapped around her girlfriends' waist and her chin on Brittany's shoulder.

_**Before I know  
Who I wanna be  
And faith  
To take chances  
To live like I see  
A place in this world**_

Kurt slowly and sullenly went through his belongings peeling off the post-its and throwing them away. His eyes fell on a sketch pad sticking out from under his bed. Kurt leaned down to pick it up. It was full of drawings of outfits Kurt sketched a couple of years previous. Kurt's heart lifted, and he smiled, a new hope forming into his heart._****_

I gotta have  
Roots before branches  
To know who I am  
Before I know  
Who I wanna be  
And faith 

Rachel stepped out of Grand Central Station into the busy city. Forgetting she was to meet her dads, Rachel walked down the streets of New York City._****_

To take chances  
To live like I see  
A place in this world  
For me

Rachel's heart swelled with content and satisfaction as a smile formed on her face. She made it. She was in New York._****_

I gotta have  
Roots before branches 

Though they were all in seperate cities, the eight graduated Glee members were all thinking the same thing:

It really does get better in the end.

**I got choked up writing this. Let me know what you guys think!**


End file.
